The FAA Gets Serious About CRM
The Helicopter Association
International has looked over a recently issued, proposed, rule
from the FAA that would require all certificate holders conducting
operations under part 135 to include in their flight training
programs crew resource management for crewmembers, including pilots
and flight attendants, and is providing some counsel on the
matter.
HAI notes that this proposal is needed to ensure that
crewmembers in part 135 operations receive training and practice in
the use of crew resource management principles, as appropriate for
their operation. This proposed rule would respond to NTSB
recommendations, address a recommendation from the Part 125/135
Aviation Rulemaking Committee, and would codify current FAA
guidance. The intended effect of this proposal is to reduce the
frequency and severity of errors that are crew based, which will
reduce the frequency of accidents and incidents within the scope of
part 135 operations. The proposed rule would affect operators of
airplanes and helicopters and crewmembers who fly under part
135.
Crew Resource Management (CRM) training is the incorporation of
team management concepts in flight operations. This training
focuses on communication and interactions among pilots, flight
attendants, operations personnel, maintenance personnel, air
traffic controllers, flight service stations, and others. CRM also
focuses on single pilot communications, decision making, and
situational awareness.
CRM activities include team
building, transfer of information, problem solving, decision
making, maintaining situational awareness, and using automated
systems. Training in these areas helps to prevent errors and
crewmembers’ loss of situation awareness. This proposed rule
would require certificate holders conducting operations under part
135 to implement CRM training for crewmembers conducting both dual
and single-pilot operations. The FAA has determined that there are
no ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices that correspond to
these proposed regulations.
This proposal does not establish required program hours. In
evaluating and approving part 135 CRM training programs, the FAA
would consider instructional techniques, the number of students in
a class, the use of performance-based scenarios, new training
technology, the use of student feedback, the measurement of
training outcomes, as well as the number of hours of training time.
For initial CRM training, the FAA is proposing a compliance date 2
years after the effective date of the final rule. After the
compliance date, a certificate holder conducting part 135
operations would be prohibited from using a crewmember unless that
person has completed approved initial CRM training. The FAA may
credit some CRM training received by crewmembers before the
compliance date.
Comments are due on or before July 30, 2009. Comments should be
identified by Docket Number FAA-2009-0023 and can be submitted by
using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, mail, or fax. To submit them
electronically, please go to http://www.regulations.gov and
follow the online instructions for sending your comments
electronically. To mail them, send comments to the Docket
Operations, M-30; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W12-140, West Building Ground Floor,
Washington, DC 20590-001. Fax comments to the Docket Operations at
202-493-2251.
NTSB Final Report: Aviat A1
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